Not applicable
Not applicable.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, generally, to small industrial and consumer-related blowers used to remove particles from a surface. More particularly, the invention relates to a blower apparatus and method for scavenging a surface and sweeping up particles using a rotary brush, and then blowing the swept-up particles away from the surface. The present invention is particularly useful for removing packed snow and ice.
2. Background Information
The state of the art in general includes various apparatus and methods for cleaning surfaces and removing snow, ice or debris. These known apparatus and methods are believed to have significant limitations and shortcomings. For example, it can be difficult to completely clean a surface using conventional single-stage and double-stage snow blowers, particularly if the surface is covered with ice and/or packed snow. Chisels, picks, and a considerable amount of physical effort are typically necessary to loosen or break the snow and ice from the surface. Chemicals and/or heat also may be applied to loosen or melt the packed snow and ice, but the application of the chemicals and heat may be undesirable for economic and environmental reasons.
Rotary brooms for sweeping surfaces are typically positioned and arranged to either push the debris forward and/or to the side, or to push the debris into a pan or bin. These brooms include relatively stiff bristles that scavenge, i.e. scrub or sweep clean, a surface as the broom rotates on the surface. These brooms wear with use causing the length of the bristles and the overall useful diameter of the broom to shorten. Eventually, the broom needs to be replaced since the bristles have been worn to the point where they no longer can effectively sweep the surface.
This invention provides a blower apparatus, particularly a blower head for the apparatus, which is believed to constitute an improvement over existing technology.
The present invention provides a blower apparatus with a brush for scavenging surfaces. The blower head of the apparatus generally comprises a frame, a brush rotatably supported by the frame, a sweeper drive adapted for rotating the brush to sweep a surface, and a blower unit adapted for removing swept-up particles away from the surface. The frame includes a mouth portion and a throat portion. The brush is rotatably supported by the frame within the mouth portion. The sweeper drive rotates the brush to sweep particles from a surface back into the mouth portion. The mouth portion and the throat portion are constructed and arranged to funnel the swept-up particles into the throat portion where the blower unit is located.
The blower head further includes an exit chute attached or otherwise connected to or formed with the throat portion. The blower unit is positioned in the throat portion and creates a pressure differential between the mouth portion and the exit chute sufficient to draw the swept-up particles from the mouth portion and into the throat portion, and then blow these particles out through the exit chute.
The present invention also includes a method for scavenging surfaces, such as ice-covered and snow-packed surfaces. The method generally comprises the steps of rotating a brush to scavenge and sweep a surface, drawing swept-up particles away from the surface, and blowing the swept-up particles out through an exit chute.
In a preferred embodiment, the present invention forms part of a snow blower that is able to clean snow-packed surfaces by scavenging the surface to form snow particles and then sweeping the particles toward a blower unit. The blower unit draws these particles into a throat portion, and then blows them through the exit chute. The blower unit may be driven by a variable speed drive that decreases the effective gear ratio and increases the torque on the blower unit when the blower unit encounters a clog. In this embodiment, the engine or motive power system will not bog down when, for example, the blower head encounters heavy or large amounts of snow.
In another embodiment, the brush may comprise brush strips attached to the peripheral edge of a conventional, helical-shaped snow blower auger. This embodiment can be retrofitted easily onto an existing snow blower. The attached brush strips scavenge a snow-packed surface allowing the conventional one-stage or two-stage snow blower to throw the scavenged or swept-up snow particles away from the path.
In another embodiment, the brush may be formed with a helical-shaped pattern adapted for moving swept-up particles along the axis of the brush and toward the throat portion as the brush rotates. This embodiment assists with drawing the swept-up particles into the throat portion and the blower unit positioned therein, and ultimately assists with blowing the swept-up particles out through the chute.
In another embodiment, the brush may be formed as two distinct portions. Each portion of the brush is constructed and arranged to replace an auger in a conventional two-stage snow blower.
In another embodiment, the blower unit may consitute a dual counter rotating blower assembly. This structure reduces the possibility of clogging in the throat portion of the invention.
The features, benefits and objects of this invention will become clear to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description, claims and drawings.